Precompressed coating of internal members in a supercritical fluid processing system
OwnerDarko Babicinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A processing system utilizing a supercritical fluid for treating a substrate is described as having internal members having a coating and coated internal members for such a system, with the coating prestressed to reduce the problem of generating coating stresses during processing. For example, the coating in internal members can reduce particulate contamination during processing. Additionally, a method for applying the coating to the internal member of the processing system is described, whereby stresses within the coating are relieved in the coating when the part is used in high pressure processing. The method is particularly useful for preventing or reducing high tensile stresses in coatings during high pressure processing.
Claims19
A method of applying a coating to an internal member of a high pressure fluid processing system comprising:
- coupling an internal member of a supercritical processing system to a pressurization system configured to impose a pressure on said internal member;
- elevating said pressure on said internal member above atmospheric pressure;
- and
- applying a coating to one or more surfaces on said internal member while said internal member remains at said elevated pressure.
A method for treating a substrate in a supercritical processing system comprising:
- disposing in said supercritical processing system an internal member having a coating on one or more surfaces thereof having intrinsic stresses within said coating;
- disposing a substrate in said supercritical processing system;
- exposing said substrate to said supercritical fluid wherein said intrinsic stresses are reduced upon high pressure processing within said supercritical processing system;
- and
- exposing said substrate to said processing chemistry.
An internal member of a system for processing a substrate with a supercritical fluid comprising:
- a structural element configured to be coupled to a supercritical fluid processing system for processing a wafer at a high processing pressure;
- a coating coupled to one or more surfaces of said structural element, wherein said coating exists under compressive stresses at atmospheric pressure and exists under stresses that are less compressive at said high processing pressure.
A high pressure processing system for treating a substrate comprising:
- a processing chamber configured to treat said substrate;
- a high pressure fluid supply system coupled to said processing chamber, and configured to introduce to said processing chamber a fluid substantially near the critical state of the fluid, a critical fluid, or a supercritical fluid, or any combination thereof;
- a process chemistry supply system coupled to said processing chamber, and configured to introduce a process chemistry to said processing chamber;
- a fluid flow system coupled to said processing chamber, and configured to flow said fluid and said process chemistry through said processing chamber over said substrate;
- and
- a coating coupled to one or more surfaces of said processing chamber, said high pressure fluid supply system, said process chemistry supply system, said fluid flow system, or an internal member of any thereof, or to one or more surfaces of any combination thereof, wherein said coating exists under compressive stresses at atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.